Plated hollow earthenware



(Specimens.)

D. S. PLUMB.

PLATED HOLLOW EARTHENWARE.

Patented Dec) 15, 1885.

N. PETERS. Fjmwfiliwmyher. Wmhingtm D. Q

' iJNTTT-rn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

\ DAVID S. PLUMB, OF NEWVARK, NEW" JERSEY.

PLATED HOLLOW EARTH ENWARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,435, dated December 15,1885.

Application filed August 11, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID S. PLUMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plated Hollow Earthenware; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide for household purposes of utility or ornamentation a class of hollow ware having the advantages of both silver-ware and ordinary crockery or earthen ware at a cost much below that of the former.

The invention consists in theimproved hollow earthenware having an exterior facing of electroplate, and in the peculiar arrangements and combinations of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth,and finally be embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of a piece of the improved ware, the latter figure being partly in section to show more clearly its eonstruction.

In said drawings, a indicates ahollow body of clay, kaolin, or other earthen matter, and b indicates a covering of glazing, which extends both over the inside and outside of the vessel or receptacle to prevent the transmission of water or dampness through the clay, and on the out side to prevent said clay from absorbing the chemicals employed in the process of electroplating. The glazed clay is burned or baked in the ordinary manner. The outside surface of the hollow earthen body is then electroplated by any suitable process,preferably with silver, the ornamental configuration of the earthen surface being transmitted to or continued in the metal surface, as will be understood, so that designs or ornamental effeets are produced which in silver are novel and particularly pleasing. The metal being brought into intimate union with the earthen Ware, greatly strengthens the latter, and par- Serial No. 174,110. (Specimens) ticularly at the edges prevents said ware from chipping and cracking. In thisconnection the electroplate (marked a in the drawings) extends a little over the edges of the vessel into the unexposed interior to reduce the liability of the edges of said electroplate being marred or broken when the vessel is in use. The bulk of the interior surface, however, remains unplated, so that the contents of the vessel cannot remain in contact with the metal and be vitiated thereby.

I am aware that the electro-deposition of metal upon earthenware for purposes of ornamentation has been in a general way referred to in English Patent No. 9,982 of 1843, and consequently I do not wish to be under stood as claiming this feature, broadly. Nor do I claim the broad idea of electroplating hollow vessels, as such a process is shown to be old. See, for example, United States Patents 97,390 and 152,148, the first being a wooden vessel plated both on the inside and outside, and thus defective for reasons above recited as well as others that will be apparent, and the latter a porcelain-lined iron vessel having an electroplate exterior covering. This lastmentioned device differs materially from my invention in that the electroplate does not lie upon and in contact with the porcelain to strengthen it and partake of its design. As an article of manufacture it embraces defects which are overcome by my invention, the one,perhaps,most apparent being inits liability to deface the table or table-cloth when used in connection with water or other liquids. Inasmuch as the plated metal is comparatively thin, it soon wears away from the bottom of the vessel,or where it comes in contact with the table. Should the body of the vessel be iron or other metal subject to rapid oxidation, the drippings which almost always accompany the use of vessels containing wa ter would soon effect the base metal, and the oxide rubbing upon the table or cloth would soon and permanently deface it. The weight of an iron body would render a vessel of no practical value for many of the purposes for which my invention is adapted.

\Vhat I claim as new is 1. The hollow earthen vessel havinga glazed interior, and having an exteriorlayer of elec IOL) troplate in intimate contact therewith, su'b- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I stantially as set forth. have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of 2. The hollow vessel having the body of August, 1885.

clay, the inner and outer layers of glazing,

5 and an outer layer of electroplate. DAVID S. PLUMB.

3. The earthenware vessel havingv an outer electroplated surface extending overthe edges Witnesses:

of the vessel into theinterior thereof, the bulk CHARLES H. FE L,

of said interior surface remaining unplated, OSCAR A. MIeEEL.

10 substantially as set forth. 

